


Till I Die

by Victorious56



Series: Varin & Challance [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Death - Non-Violent, M/M, Original Character(s), a bit sad maybe, many characters referred to, only speaking characters tagged, various children and grandchildren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:00:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23528788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Victorious56/pseuds/Victorious56
Summary: Qrow's final flight.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: Varin & Challance [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2030566
Comments: 14
Kudos: 51





	Till I Die

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by these lyrics which I never really paid attention to until today.
> 
> And I'll defy every one and love you still  
> I will carry you with me up every hill  
> And if you die before I die  
> I'll carve your name out of the sky  
> I'll fall asleep with your memory and dream of where you lie
> 
> It may be better to move on  
> And to let life just carry on  
> And I may be wrong  
> Still I'll try
> 
> 'Cause it's better to love whether you win or lose or die  
> It's better to love whether you win or lose or die  
> It's better to love and I will love you till I die
> 
> _[The Graveyard Near the House](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBMnE3sWaFA) \- The Airborne Toxic Event_

❖

It had to be a windy day, Clover knew. For Qrow’s last flight.

  


Qrow had been in a semi-coma for two days now. The doctors said his body was slowly shutting down.

Clover had gone beyond hunger, beyond exhaustion. He had reached a state of calm, his stillness mirroring the quiet form in the bed. They kept bringing glasses of water for him, which he drank without awareness. He would not leave Qrow’s side unless there was someone else to hold the pale hand resting on the bedspread.

The doctors had also said Qrow’s liver failure was probably a consequence of his period of alcohol abuse. “Although it usually strikes much earlier. He did well to reach the age of eighty-three with no significant health problems.” Clover knew they were trying to comfort him, but it didn’t help. Qrow was dying and there was nothing he could do.

  


The early morning sun slanted through the window and across the bed. Clover had fallen asleep in the chair, his grasp on Qrow’s hand looser than usual. He almost didn’t feel the slight tremor in Qrow’s fingers, or hear the gruff “Hey there” from the man in the bed.

He leant forward, pressing Qrow’s fingers slightly.

“Hey you. How are you doing?”

“That’s a daft question, soldier-boy.” Qrow’s voice was huskier than normal, and Clover had to put his ear close to Qrow’s mouth to hear his words.

“Yeah, I could have done better.” Qrow made a noise which may have been a laugh.

“Water?”

“Uh yeah, here you go.” Clover held the cup to Qrow’s lips and trickled a little water into his mouth.

“Thanks. Clover?”

“What is it?” Clover tried to keep his voice steady as he looked at the face of the man he had loved for more than forty years.

“Lucky me.” Qrow’s lips smirked as he squeezed Clover’s hand. Then the smile faded as his grip slackened.

Clover felt his whole body go rigid. He looked at Qrow’s eyes, the irises paled with age but still a soft crimson. He reached out a gentle finger and closed the eyelids softly.

“Goodbye Qrow. And yeah, lucky me too.” He brushed an errant strand of silver hair back into place. Slowly rising from the chair, he stooped and kissed his husband gently on the forehead.

There was a soft knock on the door, and their eldest son opened it quietly.

“He’s gone, Varin.”

“Oh, Dad.” Clover was held in a hug as the younger man caught him before his legs gave way.

  


The cremation had been a private event. Clover, his two sons and their partners, and the two older grandchildren. Nevis was too young to understand his Granpop was dead, so his parents decided he should stay with Aunty Ruby.

Later Clover took the small box carefully back to their house. _Strange, how the whole of a person can be reduced to this._ He thought about the decades they had spent together and knew that it wasn't true.

  


Everyone Qrow would have wanted to say goodbye to was invited. They had been waiting for the confirmation as soon as Clover knew it would be a windy day.

He wondered if Qrow would approve. They hadn't discussed funeral plans; he'd said it seemed like bad luck. _Can't believe he was still making luck jokes right up until the last minute._ Clover swallowed hard, looking out of the window at the clouds moving quickly across the sky.

Today would do.

  


The grass sloped gently down towards the bank. The small jetty was in good repair now, as was the house. It had been extremely dilapidated when they'd moved in thirty-five years ago. Clover had discovered a talent for carpentry which had served them well over the years. He smiled now as he remembered Qrow's face, watching him sawing wood, hammering nails, painting woodwork. Qrow would bring him a cold drink, waiting to approach so he didn't cause Clover to cut his hand or hit his thumb. Clover would take the drink, put it down, and fold Qrow in a hug so tight. He smiled again, a little crookedly this time, and drew a deep breath before turning to greet the latest arrival.

"Hi Winter." They embraced briefly before she stood back, holding him at arms-length as she studied his face.

"You're looking rough, Ebi. Not surprisingly." Clover laughed.

"Always appreciate your no-nonsense approach. How are _you_ doing?"

"It's getting easier... I miss her terribly, of course. But— the edge has gone from it. The rawness. I can remember things without... dissolving into tears. Robyn... she's still there. She never left. Not really."

"It's good to have family around. Are they looking after you?"

"Yes. _They're_ all good. Although," Winter's mouth narrowed, "I still get the odd comment elsewhere like _It's a shame you never had children._ I wish people would keep their opinions to themselves."

Clover knew Robyn and Winter had decided not to have children of their own, being very happy with the many nephews and nieces they had. Now, nearly a year after Robyn's death, Winter was busier than ever helping her extended family raise their grandchildren.

His thoughts were interrupted by shouts of _Rubes!_ and _Yang!_ as more people arrived. Here was Ruby with Penny and Weiss— Clover was uncertain how their relationship worked, but it obviously did as they were still together and always looked happy. There were Blake and Yang with their children and grandchildren, and _Is that a great-grandchild? Gods we're all getting so old_. He went to meet them and was enveloped in a multi-person hug as usual.

  


Varin and Challance were doing good work keeping their father's guests fed and watered. Varin's partner Hyancinth sat on the grass with Illyn and Nevis, helping her sons get to know some of team RWBY's grandchildren. Challance's partner Dexin—who had always been quiet at big family gatherings—was being led by the hand by their daughter Ebonil, who had no such reservations and wanted her father to introduce her to everyone.

Jaune and Marrow arrived a little later, carrying apologies for Ren and Nora who were running late. Clover had lost track of exactly whose grandchildren were whose, and thanked the Brothers it was a fine day and they didn't all have to fit into the house.

He went to ask Winter if she needed another drink. As he approached, she said quietly, "She's here." He turned round as the tall, silver-haired woman let herself in at the side gate.

"Hello Raven." He held out a hand which was briefly clasped in her cool fingers.

"Clover. How are you?"

"As you'd expect. Thank you for coming."

"Well, he was my little brother after all. It's my place to be here."

Clover was glad Qrow and Raven had come to a reconciliation of sorts, but he had never warmed to the woman. He still found it hard to credit she and Qrow were twins, for two more different characters he could not imagine.

"When are we doing this?"

"Uh, in about half an hour? We're just waiting for Ren and Nora now."

She moved away and Varin stepped forward to offer her some food and drink. Clover breathed in deeply and looked down as he felt a hand tug at his trousers.

"What do you want, monkey?" He picked Nevis up and pretended to toss him into the air. The toddler shrieked with laughter and tried to clutch at Clover's hair.

"Oh no you don't. You can't ruin my one remaining good feature," Clover laughed, tickling his grandson mercilessly. _It feels good to laugh. Qrow and I laughed so much..._

  


Ren and Nora had arrived; the time had come. The guests moved down towards the water as Clover and Raven walked ahead. He handed her a small black bag, folding her fingers carefully around it. She extricated one hand and placed it briefly over Clover's, looking into his face. Clover felt his heart beat faster as he gazed into her eyes, seeing Qrow there. She nodded, turning away from him and running down the jetty. The wind was gusting across the lake's surface, stirring small waves sprinkled like white blossom across the blue of the reflected sky.

The raven effortlessly rose into the air, circling round several times, climbing higher with each circuit. She reached one end of the lake and flew across from right to left, scattering the contents of the black bag. The wind took Qrow's ashes and spread them far across the water.

  


Clover picked up Nevis and held him tightly. His grandson wiped Clover's cheek, planting a kiss where the tears had been.

"She turned into a bird like Granpop," he said.

"That she did. Clever family, huh?"

Nevis stretched up in Clover's arms, reaching for something fluttering down towards them. A shiny black feather. He grabbed it and raised it aloft. "Granpop!"

Clover kissed their grandson and put him down, taking his hand and walking slowly back towards the house.

  


**Author's Note:**

> Friendly comments always appreciated, thank you.


End file.
